Famous Tuvan throat-singer, Merited artist of Russia Kongar-ool Ondar today, on 24 March, together with other prominent activists of the country participated in a meeting with President  Dmitri Medvedev. It took place at the multi-media art museum "Moscow house of Photography". The head of the state evaluated problems of development of contemporary art and culture.

As Kongar-ool Ondar informed gov.tuva.ru,  he presented  the problems of pension security for performers of Tuvan throat-singing, and was assured by Dmitri Medvedev that the matter will be studied. The artist  stated that he would like to initiate an amendment in Russian laws, which would permit an early retirement for throat-singers, and  pointed out that Mongolia has already compared its throat-singers to miners, and allowed early retirement for them.

In support of his initiative, Kongar-ool Ondar told the president about the special functioning of the vocal cords, respiratory system and the resonator system of Tuvan vocalists. He also reported that the folk throat-singing should be patented, and that the Mongols are contesting it. And then he sang for the gathering.

"Don't worry, we won't give up the patent,  - Medvedev calmed the musician. - If necessary, we will fight for it."

After his performance,  Kongar-ool Ondar remarked that his colleagues  were very  offended when  the USA ex-president George Bush, during his visit to Mongolia said that "he liked two things - which have always been ours -  throat-singing and milk vodka".

"I can't promise you anything as far as Bush is concerned, but I can try to get Obama to listen",  the president said to that.

Throat-singing is a vocal technique with unusual articulation in the larynx, characteristic for traditional music of Siberian peoples. The best known is  Tuvan throat-singing, which uses a technique called "khorekteer".